Unleashing the power of Emotional Intelligence, this book provides a rather extensive overview of the significance of EQ in all relationships, focusing on its power in interpersonal interaction as well as in leadership situations. The book closes with insights on developing emotionally intelligent organizations. Providing practical examples throughout the chapters, the authors begin by describing the power of EQ in leadership, speaking of primal leadership, resonant leadership, the neuroanatomy of leadership (a fascinating chapter, notably on social awareness and the limbic tango), leadership repertoire (reviewing the four key styles - visionary, coaching, affiliative, and democratic), and the dissonant styles (pacesetting and commanding, can have their application at times).

The book continues with advice on the making of leaders, focusing on becoming a resonant leader, developing the motivation to change, and sustaining change through metamorphosis. The authors close this exceptional work with focus on the building of organizations that function from an emotionally intelligent mindset. These practical chapters deal with the emotional realities of teambuilding, developing an ideal vision that gives life to the organization, and developing a culture that promotes continuous change.

The appendix includes a comparison of EQ and IQ, as well as a review of the key components of EQ (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management) as they relate to leadership competencies.

To quote the authors, “Resonant leaders know when to be collaborative and when to be visionary, when to listen and when to command. Such leaders have a knack for attuning to their own sense of what matters and articulating a mission that resonates with those they lead. These leaders naturally nurture relationships, surface simmering issues, and create the human synergies of a group in harmony. They build a fierce loyalty by caring about the careers of those who work for them, and inspire people to give their best for a mission that speaks to shared values” (p. 248).

Excellent insights about why Emotional Intelligence is an important factor for leaders and successful organizations. While most leaders already have great cognitive abilities, when working with people the skills involved by EI are at least as important and have been neglected for so long.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand how a flourishing community or organization should work in order to empower all its members. This book is not only for leaders, its also for people who really believe that the secret to their growth is in their team, colleagues, friends, and network.

La final, sper ca liderii din Romania vor citi aceasta carte sau altele similare ca sa inteleaga ca stilurile de conducere promotor si dominator, mai ales ultimul folosit atat de des in Romania, sunt cele mai daunatoare pentru orice organizatie sau comunitate:
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Primal Leadership is a relatively clear and concise business book. It defines and then drills into several areas of "emotional intelligence", which is a term often mockingly understood by the general population as giving feelings to managers. Obviously, managers have a huge gap to fill if this is the popular understanding, so from that perspective, the book is on point.

My criticisms of the book center less on what it says than what it doesn't say. "Leader" in the book is often used as a euphemism for either the CEO or executive management teams (C-suite), and yes, it is apparent that many CEOs exhibit what could charitably be described as the "pacesetting style" of management (i.e. being hard-driving assholes). Less clearly illustrated is why, besides being a better human, that these individuals would want to change. And so quite frankly, emotional intelligence barely makes it into the top ten list of qualities that executive teams search for when looking for a peer, or boards looking for a CEO. This is apparent if you look around at almost any public company with billions of dollars in profit, yet at least one or two sociopaths sit on the executive team. I would have liked more linkage between improved company performance and emotional intelligence, otherwise I just think this book is likely to be ignored by so-called "leaders" that see it purely as touchy-feely nonsense that doesn't contribute to top-line performance.

Where the book also falls short is giving advice on how to survive in these sorts of organizations as a middle manager. Many people can be leaders; it obviously doesn't have to just be top management that lead. But what are other formal managers supposed to do when there isn't the Garden-of-Eden executive sponsorship and buy-in that Goleman describes and is, quite honestly, very rare? How can individual line managers practice and improve their EI in these situations?

Overall, it was another business book that preaches to the choir. If you already believe in EI and seek to improve yourself, you will read this book, nod along vigorously, and then throw it away because it doesn't teach you anything new. Or, you will be a hard-driving CEO, read this book and think to yourself, my company is making money already, I don't need this, and also throw it away.

The book has something not just only to inspire everybody how to become a leader, but also to encourage them to evolve more and more. For me, this book helped to understand how to be a great leader, what are the main elements, which the leadership consists of and what exactly do for it. Recommend to read for sure!